BEIRUT: A Jewish European peace group is to launch a boat to break the blockade of Gaza in the coming months, organizers said, almost a week after nine activists were killed making the same trip.

European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP) - an umbrella organization of Jewish groups from 10 European countries against the occupation of Palestine - aim to deliver humanitarian aid such as school books and medicines to the Gaza Strip, and to draw attention to the blockade which they call "immoral."

"We want to show that not all Jews support Israel," said Edith Lutz, a German member of the EJJP. "We are calling for a just solution and for an end to the blockade."

On board the ships will be activists from across Europe including Germany and the UK, as well as an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor from Israel. The voyage was originally meant to carry only a small number of activists together with journalists from Europe and Israel, but organizers say that a huge response from the Jewish community has meant that a second boat has been arranged, and the possibility of a third is being discussed.

"In the beginning it was not meant to be an exclusively Jewish trip, we had a variety of people. But many more Jewish people came forward wanting to come on board, and we realized this was important politically," said Lutz.

This sentiment was echoed by Glyn Secker, a member of the British based Jews for Justice for Palestinians who will captain the ship. "I think it will have particular significance because it is a group of Jewish people saying that as Jews, we are critical of Israeli policy. We believe that there should be a just peace for the Palestinians," he said.

Organizers hope to draw attention to the injustice of the blockade whilst delivering much-needed supplies to the impoverished territory of 1.5 million people, 80 percent of whom rely on some sort of food aid according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA.

"The supplies are symbolic," said Secker, "they include medical supplies, books, art materials and some musical instruments to give to the children."

"We want to make a very clear moral statement that the way Israel is treating the Palestinians is, we believe, extremely immoral. We want to say emphatically: 'not in our name,'" Secker added.

Another motivation for the trip, organizers said, was the effect Israeli policies have on the treatment of Jews living outside of Israel.

"We are frightened that Israeli policies will help anti-Semitism to grow. We also want to show that these actions are not Jewish," said Lutz.

The group said they will depart from a port in an undisclosed country toward the end of July. The current number of people on board is approximately 40, but organizers said this number could grow by the time they depart.

Egypt and Israel have maintained the blockade since Hamas won elections in Gaza in 2006, with Israel describing it as an essential measure to stop weapons from reaching Hamas militants.

Rights group Amnesty International has condemned it as "collective punishment" and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay last week said the blockade was illegal and should be eliminated.

The activists planning the journey said they were shocked when they heard about the deaths of other activists trying to deliver aid last week, and were unsure whether they would reach their target.

"I cannot tell you whether the trip will be a success or if will get to Gaza. But we will be successful in telling the world that we don't agree with the blockade," said Lutz.

Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:53 am

Anti.Agent036

Joined: 11 Jul 2003
Posts: 900
Location: Gilbert, AZ

"Civilians driving on the Trans-Israel Highway 6 on Friday could not ignore a sign posted on a bus driving on the road, which conveyed a controversial message to the commandos who took park in the interception of the Gaza-bound flotilla: "Shayetet 13, shame on you. Why did you kill so few?""

Anyone watch Real Time the other night? Bill Maher went off on a mini pro-Israel rant in which he said that he thought Israel was in the right in this situation and with the blockade in general. I was kind of surprised by the whole thing, and am starting to wonder if Maher has any fucking clue what is actually going on over there.

Sun Jun 13, 2010 4:29 pm

Charlie Foxtrot

Joined: 23 Jan 2008
Posts: 1379
Location: Rochester, NY

Maher is an unfunny smarmy fool

Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:28 pm

xGasPricesx

Joined: 23 May 2008
Posts: 1612

Yeah, that's basically how I've felt about him for awhile now, but I keep giving him another chance and he goes off some really stupid shit like that. I do like his panels a lot of the time though, I just wish it wasn't him leading the discussion.

Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:32 am

O2KSFF has a stalker.

Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 1856
Location: Orange County

xGasPricesx wrote: Anyone watch Real Time the other night? Bill Maher went off on a mini pro-Israel rant in which he said that he thought Israel was in the right in this situation and with the blockade in general. I was kind of surprised by the whole thing, and am starting to wonder if Maher has any fucking clue what is actually going on over there.

Maher has been Pro-Israel for a very long time. He's also a schmuck and unfunny with 90% of his stuff. Everytime somebody proves him wrong or brings up a point that betters his he brushes it off with a corny joke. I actually am very surprised people still watch his show.

Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:31 am

redball

Joined: 12 May 2006
Posts: 6878
Location: Northern New Jersey

I often disagree with Maher because I think the guy is as bad as Glenn Beck, only he's trying to be super liberal instead of wackjob conservative. However, he sometimes would have great, great shows. Back when I had HBO I watched him. As for this, well the guy has his opinion.

But you know who doesn't hold his opinion? Turkey. The relationship there has essentially disintegrated. Which sucks for Israel, because Turkey was a good ally for them to have, and a major weapons supplier.

Also, I've been meaning to denounce Helen Thomas's statements. Maybe she's against Israel's practices, but she said that the Jews should leave altogether and go back to Poland, etc. Wow. She's smart enough to know that's a crock of shit.

Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:53 am

O2KSFF has a stalker.

Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 1856
Location: Orange County

redball wrote: I often disagree with Maher because I think the guy is as bad as Glenn Beck, only he's trying to be super liberal instead of wackjob conservative. However, he sometimes would have great, great shows. Back when I had HBO I watched him. As for this, well the guy has his opinion.

But you know who doesn't hold his opinion? Turkey. The relationship there has essentially disintegrated. Which sucks for Israel, because Turkey was a good ally for them to have, and a major weapons supplier.

Also, I've been meaning to denounce Helen Thomas's statements. Maybe she's against Israel's practices, but she said that the Jews should leave altogether and go back to Poland, etc. Wow. She's smart enough to know that's a crock of shit.

I've watched very few bill maher episodes but everytime i watch it, it's his guests that make the show great in spite of him. I also agree that Helen Thomas was off base.

Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:22 am

neveragainlikesheep

Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 2536
Location: TKO from Tokyo

Bill Maher can kiss my fucking ass. How the hell can this be considered self-defense? This is murder.

Just try explaining this one away, Billy boy. Seems he needs to get up off of his own knob and inform himself.

Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:20 am

O2KSFF has a stalker.

Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 1856
Location: Orange County

Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:26 am

crash

Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Posts: 5457
Location: the chocolate city with a marshmallow center and a graham cracker crust of corruption

Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:48 pm

Confidential

Joined: 23 Jan 2004
Posts: 2040

Bill Maher is a lame. His appeal is only surface level, but underneath it all he stinks of enlightened arrogance. I didn't like his treatment of religion, and his portrayal of Islam in particular. Doesn't surprise me that he would take that position.

Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:40 am

neveragainlikesheep

Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 2536
Location: TKO from Tokyo

Confidential wrote: Bill Maher is a lame. His appeal is only surface level, but underneath it all he stinks of enlightened arrogance. I didn't like his treatment of religion, and his portrayal of Islam in particular. Doesn't surprise me that he would take that position.

I thought his bias against religion probably had something to do with this stupid position as well. Just goes to show, atheists can be morons as well.

Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:53 am

Anti.Agent036

Joined: 11 Jul 2003
Posts: 900
Location: Gilbert, AZ

to be honest, bill maher is a rabid anti-arab/anti-muslim racist bastard. his comments on arabs and muslims have been so stereotypical and xenophobic, it's comical. also, his pro-israel views are so antithetical to the image he attempts to portray. it just leads you to believe that his "enlightened progressivism" is a sham, but this appears to be the case with most American liberals.